Rotation counter for vertical printing presses



y 1961 J. F. GARITO ETAL 2,986,087

ROTATION COUNTER FOR VERTICAL PRINTING PRESSES Filed Feb. 16, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2 3

23 Joseph E Gar/Io 27-- Haro/d .L Fosrer 1; Lloyd E T/'ffany I:INVENTORS \l V g- BY @Maai 5 I (Fwy BMW May 30, 1961 J. F. GARITO ETALROTATION COUNTER FOR VERTICAL PRINTING PRESSES Filed Feb. 16, 1959 Fig.4

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Joseph F. Gar/f0 S m mum M 5m N A w H. Um J 3 mm kw mmW HL M Y B United States Patent ROTATION COUNTER FOR VERTICAL PRINTINGPRESSES Joseph F. Garito, 20 Stewart St., Lowville, N.Y.; Harold J.Foster, Lowville, N.Y. (Castorland, N.Y.); and Lloyd E. Tifiany,Lowville, N.Y. (R.F.D. 1, Glenfield, N.Y.)

Filed Feb. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 793,345

4 Claims. (Cl. 101-269) This invention relates to improvements inrotation counters for vertical printing presses of the commerciallydesignated Miehle type well known in the art, and in which an impressioncylinder moves upwardly from a lowered idle position during its cycle ofoperation and is stopped in a full cycle raised position againstrotation by stop mechanisms such as that shown in U.S. Patent No.2,305,851, dated December 22, 1942.

By way of premise, rotation counters for the impression cylinder of suchprinting presses have been provided but are usually located on thecylinder and move up and down and rotate therewith so that under highspeed operation of such presses it is very diflicult to read suchcounters and to read the same at all an operator must stand very closeto the press in a precarious position.

Having the foregoing in mind, the primary object of this invention is toprovide a rotation counter for the impression cylinder of such presseswhich is mounted on the press remote from the cylinder in a fixedposition for operation in response to rotation of the cylinder into fullcycle position and upward movement thereof,.so that said counter may beeasily read by an operator at a safe distance from the press.

Another object is to provide a rotation counter as in the foregoingwhich is operated primarily by means of the aforesaid stop mechanism forthe cylinder, whereby to utilize a standard part of such presses as aprime operating means for the counter.

Still another object is to provide a counter according to the foregoing,and means of simple form and inexpensive construction operativelyconnecting the stop mechanism to the counter.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the invention in apreferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical section partly broken awayand taken on the irregular line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section taken onthe line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view in side elevation partly insection;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section taken onthe line 5-5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged exploded view in perspective of parts of meansoperatively connecting the stop mechanism to the counter.

Referring to the drawings by numeral, according to this invention, aconventional rotation counting register 1, for instance of the Wellknown cyclometer type, is suitably mounted in horizontal position on abracket 3 rising from one side 5 of the press 7, shown fragmentarily assuflicient for the present purposes. The rotation counting register 1 iselevated above the stop mechanism 9 by the bracket 3 which is bolted, asat 6, to one side guard 8 of the press 7.

The impression cylinder 11, in a manner and by means well known in theart, is moved from a lowered idle position, shown in dot and dash linesin Figure 1, into a raised position, shown in dash lines in Figure l, assaid cylinder completes each printing cycle of operation in a direction,for instance that indicated by the arrow in Figure l.

The stop mechanism 9 need merely be briefly described herein since it isfully disclosed in the aforesaid patent. This stop mechanism comprises acollar 13 fixed on the cylinder shaft 15 and having a shouldered camblock 17 fixed thereon. The block 17, as the cylinder 11 moves into itsraised position and rotates into its full cycle position abuts uprightleaf stop spring devices 19 bolted, as at 21, to an upright block 23bolted, as at 25, to the side5 of the press above the shaft 15, and saidblock 17 at the same time cams upwardly an upright'stop rod 27 slidablein said block 23 and spring loaded to descend behind the shoulder 31 ofthe block 17 in the full cycle position of said cylinder 11 so that saidcylinder is held against rotation forlowering into idle position. Asetscrew 33 holds a threaded rod guide collar 35 in a bore 37 in theblock 23 to retain a helical rod loading spring 29 in the bore. Anadjusting nut 39 is threaded on the stop rod 27 above a washer 38 on theblock 23 to variably tension the spring 29 between the guide collar 35and a collar 40 fixed on the stop rod 27, said nut also providing forvariably adjusting said stop rod 27 upwardly or downwardly as occasionmay require for wear take up purposes.

Means operatively connecting the stop mechanism 9 to the revolutioncounting register 1 comprises the following: A register operating pushrod 41 extends upwardly from the stop rod 27 in axial alignmenttherewith and is vertically slidable in a pair of upper and lowervertically spaced bearings 43, 45 bolted, as at 44, 46, on the bracket 3above the guard 8. The rotation counting register operating push rod 41seats on the stop rod 27 for movement upwardly thereby. A helical spring47 surrounds the register operating push rod 41 between the upperbearing 43 and a set collar 49 on said rod 41 and tensions said rodagainst upward movement while maintaining said rod 41 seated on the stoprod 27. The set collar 49 seats on the lower bearing 45 and provides forvertically adjusting the register operating push rod 41, as may berequired, to take up wear in the operating means connecting the stopmechanism 9 to the rotation counting register 1. A slot 51 is providedin the guard 8 for extension of the register operating push rod 41therethrough above said guard.

A lever 53 above the register operating push rod 41 extends laterallyacross the same and is pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 55, on thebracket 3 for rocking in a vertical plane with said rod 41 underlyingone end of said lever 53 to rock said lever 53 in one direction. Ahelical spring 57 rises from the lever 53 and is attached at its ends,as at 59, 61, to the other end of the lever 53 and to the conventionalarm 63 on the revolution register 1 for operating the lowestdenominational number wheel 65 of said register.

The operation of the invention will be readily understood. In responseto movement of the impression cylinder 11 into its raised position androtation of said cylinder into full cycle position, the stop rod 27 iscammed upwardly to slide the register operating push rod 41 upwardlyagainst tension exerted by the spring 47. The push rod 41 rocks thelever 53 clockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, from a substantiallyhorizontal position. Such rocking of the lever 53 exerts pull on thespring 57 to cause operation of the rotation counting register 1 in amanner which will be understood to register the number of rotations ofsaid cylinder and the number of sheets or other Work printed. As thestop rod 27 descends the register operating push rod 41 descends underthe infiuence of the spring 47 and permits the lever to return,counterclockwise, into substantially horizontal position under theinfiuence'ofthe spring 57.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those'skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a printing press cylinder and a full cycle stopmechanism for said cylinder having a stop member movable upwardly inresponse to rotation of said cylinder into full cycle position, arotation counting register for said cylinder, means mounting saidregister on the press remote from said cylinder, and means operativelyconnecting said stop member to said register 'to operate the register inresponse to upward movement gaged by said push rod for swinging therebyin one direction, and a helical spring operatively connecting the otherend of said lever to said register.

2. The combination of claim 1, further including bearings on said pressmounting said push rod, and a set collar on said push rod seating on oneof said bearings and establishing therewith a lowered position of saidpush rod.

3. The combination of claim 2, and spring means urging said push rodinto lowered position.

4. In a printing press having a rotary impression cylinder mounted forlinear reciprocation and having a stop mechanism for yieldably lockingsaid cylinder against rotation after a full cycle movement of saidcylinder, said stop mechanism including a stationary casing and a latchelement mounted therein and periodically movable through a stroke toperiodically lock said cylinder against rotation after each cycle ofmovement thereof, a counter mechanism mounted in spaced relation to saidstop mechanism and adjustable means operatively interconnecting saidlatch element and counter mechanism and responsive to movement of saidlatch element through each stroke to operate said counter mechanism,said adjustable means including slide means spring biased intoengagement with said latch element, lever means connected to said slidemeans and yieldable link means interconnecting said lever means and saidcounter mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,567,179 Cheshire Dec. 29, 1925 1,647,560 Chisholm et al Nov. 1, 19271,866,978 Lascelles et al. July 12, 1932 2,209,482 Stobb July 30, 19402,257,949 Gruettner Oct. 7, 1941 2,305,851 Dudley Dec. 22, 19422,687,091 Miles Aug. 24, 1954

